Blade server performance management method and system

ABSTRACT

A blade server performance management method and system is proposed, which is designed for use with a blade server including a cluster of server modules to provide a performance management function on the clustered server modules with the purpose of allowing all the clustered server modules in the blade server to have sufficient power load to operate normally as well as protecting each of the clustered server modules from being burned out due to an overly high working temperature during high-performance operation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to computer network server technology, and moreparticularly, to a blade server performance management method andsystem, which is designed for use with a blade server including acluster of server modules to provide a performance management functionon the clustered server modules with the purpose of allowing all theclustered server modules to have sufficient power load to operatenormally as well as protecting each of the clustered server modules frombeing burned out due to an overly high working temperature duringhigh-performance operation.

2. Description of Related Art

Blade server is a clustering type of network server, which ischaracterized by the use of a circuit board enclosure to integrate acluster of server modules (commonly called “blades”), with all of theseserver modules providing the same server function. In other words, ablade server can respond to a client's request by linking any one of theclustered server modules to the client. In practice, each server moduleis embodied as a single circuit board (i.e., blade), which can be easilyfitted to the blade server's enclosure to increase the blade server'sclient serving capacity.

Fundamentally, each of the clustered server modules in a blade server isequipped with one or more CPUs (Central Processing Unit) for independentdata processing, and each CPU typically comes with two or more operatingmodes of different performance levels that can be arbitrarily set bysystem or user to provide different data processing speeds. Differentmodels of CPUs may offer different operating modes. For example, acertain type of CPU offers two operating modes, respectively calledautomatic mode and on-demand mode, wherein the automatic mode is higherin performance level than the on-demand mode; and another type of CPUoffers two operating modes, respectively called automatic mode andthrottling mode, wherein the automatic mode is higher in performancelevel than the throttling mode. Fundamentally, a high level of operatingmode would provide a higher processing speed, but would notwithstandingconsume more electrical power and cause higher working temperature inthe CPU.

In application, the clustered server modules in blade server aretypically set to different CPU operating modes, so that some of them canprovide higher data serving capacity and speed. However, since a servermodule with a higher CPU performance level also has a higher rate ofpower consumption, it may cause other server modules with a lower CPUperformance to be underpowered and thus unable to operate normally.

Moreover, since a server module with a higher CPU performance levelconsumes more electrical power, it would lead to a higher workingtemperature during operation. When a server module's CPU workingtemperature exceeds an overheating limit, it could cause the servermodule's CPU to burn out and thus fail to operate normally.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an objective of this invention to provide a blade serverperformance management method and system that allows all of theclustered server modules in a blade server to have sufficient power loadto operate normally.

It is another objective of this invention to provide a blade serverperformance management method and system that can protecthigh-performance server modules in a blade server from being burned outdue to an overly high working temperature.

The blade server performance management method and system according tothe invention is designed for use with a blade server including acluster of server modules, each server module having at least twodifferent operating modes, for providing a performance managementfunction on the clustered server modules in the blade server.

The blade server performance management method and system according tothe invention is based on the method steps of: performing a power-loaddetecting procedure to detect the current distribution of power load bythe power supply of the blade server to the clustered server modules inthe blade server; if the current distribution of power load to theclustered server modules is below a rated power level, performing anoperating mode inspecting procedure to inspect the current operatingmodes of the server modules to find the highest-performance servermodule; and performing a power-initiated operating mode adjustingprocedure to switch the highest-performance server module to a lowerlevel of operating mode.

The blade server performance management method and system according tothe invention allow each of the clustered server modules in the bladeserver to have sufficient power load to operate normally as well as toprotect each of the clustered server modules from being burned out dueto an overly high working temperature during high-performance operation.The blade server performance management method and system according tothe invention is therefore advantageous to use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The invention can be more fully understood by reading the followingdetailed description of the preferred embodiments, with reference madeto the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an object-oriented component modelof the blade server performance management system according to theinvention; and

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram showing the method steps performed by the bladeserver performance management system according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The blade server performance management method and system according tothe invention is disclosed in full details by way of preferredembodiments in the following with reference to the accompanyingdrawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the object-oriented componentmodel of the blade server performance management system (as the partenclosed in the dotted box indicated by the reference numeral 100). Asshown, in application, the blade server performance management system ofthe invention 100 is integrated to a blade server 10 which includes acluster of server modules (commonly called “blades”), for example 5server modules 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 (note that 5 server modules are shownhere only for demonstrative purpose, and in practice, the blade server10 may include any number of server modules). The server modules 11, 12,13, 14, 15 each include one or more CPUs (not shown) for dataprocessing, and each CPU comes with two or more operating modes ofdifferent performance levels that can be arbitrarily set by system oruser to provide different data processing speeds.

The CPU operating modes available in the server modules 11, 12, 13, 14,15 may be different in different models. For example, a certain type ofCPU may offer two operating modes, respectively called automatic modeand on-demand mode, wherein the automatic mode is higher in performancelevel than the on-demand mode; and another type of CPU may offer twooperating modes, respectively called automatic mode and throttling mode,wherein the automatic mode is higher in performance level than thethrottling mode. Fundamentally, a higher level of operating mode wouldprovide a higher processing speed, but would notwithstanding consumemore electrical power and cause higher working temperature in the CPU.

In application, the clustered server modules 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 in theblade server 10 are typically set to different CPU operating modes, sothat some of them can provide higher data serving capacity and speed.For example, the first two server modules 11, 12 can be set to automaticmodes, while the next two server modules 13, 14 are set to on-demandmodes and the last server module 15 is set to throttling mode.

The object-oriented component model of the blade server performancemanagement system of the invention 100 comprises: (a) a power-loaddetecting module 110; (b) a operating mode inspecting module 120; and(c) an operating mode adjusting module 130; and further comprises atemperature inspecting module 140.

The power-load detecting module 110 is capable of detecting whether thecurrent distribution of power load by the power supply 20 of the bladeserver 10 to the clustered server modules 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 in theblade server 20 is below a rated power level; and if YES, the power-loaddetecting module 110 will promptly issue a power-initiated mode downrequest MODE_DOWN_PW to the operating mode adjusting module 130.

The operating mode inspecting module 120 is capable of inspecting whatoperating mode is currently being set to each of the clustered servermodules 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 in the blade server 10 to find which one orones are currently being set in the highest-level of operating mode. Theinspected information is then transferred to the operating modeadjusting module 130.

The operating mode adjusting module 130 is capable of being activated inresponse to the mode down request MODE_DOWN_PW from the power-loaddetecting module 110 and based on the inspected information from theoperating mode inspecting module 120 to adjust the operating mode of thehighest-performance one of the server modules 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 in theblade server 10 to a lower level of operating mode (if two or moreserver modules are operating at the same highest-level of operatingmode, then one of them is selected). For example, if thehighest-performance server module is currently set in automatic mode,then its operating mode is switched to on-demand mode or throttling modewhich is a low-performance operating mode. After this, the power-loaddetecting module 110 will continue to detect whether the subsequentdistribution of power load by the power supply 20 of the blade server 10to the clustered server modules 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 in the blade server20 is above the rated power level; and if still below, the power-loaddetecting module 110 will issue another mode down request MODE_DOWN_PWto the operating mode adjusting module 130 to activate the operatingmode adjusting module 130 to switch another highest-performance servermodule to a lower level of operating mode. This procedure will berepeated until the power-load detecting module 110 detects that thedistribution of power load by the power supply 20 of the blade server 10to the clustered server modules 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 in the blade server20 is above the rated power level.

The temperature inspecting module 140 is capable of inspecting whetherthe current working temperature of any one of the clustered servermodules 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 in the blade server 10 is below anoverheating limit; and if one or more server module are above theoverheating limit, the temperature inspecting module 140 will promptlyinitiate a temperature lowering procedure by issuing atemperature-initiated mode down request MODE_DOWN_TEMP to the operatingmode adjusting module 130 to activate the operating mode adjustingmodule 130 to switch the currently overheated server module(s) to alower level of operating mode. After this, the temperature inspectingmodule 140 will continue to inspect the subsequent working temperatureof the previously overheated server module to see if it is now below theoverheating limit; and if still not, the temperature inspecting module140 will activate the operating mode adjusting module 130 to furtheradjust the overheated server module to a still lower level of operatingmode (if available). This procedure will be repeated until the workingtemperature of the overheated server module is below the overheatinglimit. Alternatively, in another preferred embodiment, the temperatureinspecting module 140 can directly issue a TCC enable signal TCC_ENABLEto the overheated server module to activate the CPU on the overheatedserver module to perform a built-in TCC (Thermal Control Circuit)procedure to lower its working temperature by reducing performance, suchas by reducing the duty cycles of the CPU clock signal to 30%-50%.

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram showing the method steps performed by the bladeserver performance management system of the invention 100 duringoperation.

Referring to FIG. 2 together with FIG. 1, the initial step S10 is toperform a power-load detecting procedure, wherein the power-loaddetecting module 110 is activated to detect whether the currentdistribution of power load by the power supply 20 of the blade server 10to the clustered server modules 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 in the blade server20 is below a rated power level; If YES, the power-load detecting module110 promptly issues a mode down request MODE_DOWN_PW to the operatingmode adjusting module 130, and the procedure goes to the next step S11.

The next step S11 is to perform an operating mode inspecting procedure,wherein the operating mode inspecting module 120 is activated to inspectwhat operating mode is currently being set to each of the server modules11, 12, 13, 14, 15 in the blade server 10 to find which one or ones arecurrently being set in the highest-level of operating mode, and thentransfer the inspected information to the operating mode adjustingmodule 130. The procedure then goes to the step S12.

In the step S12, an operating mode adjusting procedure is performed,wherein the operating mode adjusting module 130 is activated in responseto the mode down request MODE_DOWN_PW from the power-load detectingmodule 110 and based on the inspected information from the operatingmode inspecting module 120 to switch the highest performance servermodule to a lower level of operating mode (if two or more server modulesare operating in the same highest-level of operating mode, then one ofthem is selected). For example, if the highest-performance server moduleis currently operating in automatic mode, then its operating mode isswitched to on-demand mode or throttling mode which is a lower level ofoperating mode.

After the task of step S12 is completed, the procedure goes back to theprevious step S10 to repeat the power-load detecting procedure, whereinthe power-load detecting module 110 continues to detect whether thesubsequent distribution of power load by the power supply 20 of theblade server 10 to the clustered server modules 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 inthe blade server 20 is above the rated power level; and if still below,the steps S11-S12 are repeated again. The looped steps S10-S12 arerepeated until the power-load detecting module 110 detects that thedistribution of power load by the power supply 20 of the blade server 10to the clustered server modules 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 in the blade server20 is above the rated power level.

As the power load to all of the clustered server modules 11, 12, 13, 14,15 in the blade server 10 is sufficient, the procedure then goes to thestep S20 to perform a temperature inspecting procedure, wherein thetemperature inspecting module 140 is activated to inspect whether thecurrent working temperature of any one of the server modules 11, 12, 13,14, 15 exceeds an overheating limit; if NO, the procedure is ended;whereas if YES, the procedure goes to the step S21.

In the step S21, a temperature lowering procedure is initiated with thepurpose of lowering the working temperature of the overheated servermodule(s). This temperature lowering procedure has two differentembodiments.

By the first embodiment, the temperature inspecting module 140 isactivated to issue a mode down request MODE_DOWN_TEMP to the operatingmode adjusting module 130 to activate the operating mode adjustingmodule 130 to switch the overheated server module(s) to a lower level ofoperating mode. After this, the temperature inspecting module 140 willcontinue to inspect the subsequent working temperature of the previouslyoverheated server module to see if it is now below the overheatinglimit; and if still not, the temperature inspecting module 140 willactivate the operating mode adjusting module 130 to switch theoverheated server module to a still lower level of operating mode (ifavailable). This procedure will be repeated until the workingtemperature of the overheated server module is below the overheatinglimit.

By the second embodiment, the temperature inspecting module 140 directlyissues a TCC enable signal TCC_ENABLE to the overheated server module toactivate the overheated server module to perform a built-in TCC (ThermalControl Circuit) procedure to lower its working temperature by reducingperformance, such as by reducing the duty cycles of the CPU clock signalto 30%-50%.

After the task of step S21 is completed, the procedure goes back to theprevious step S20 to repeat the temperature inspecting procedure,wherein the temperature inspecting module 140 continues to inspectwhether the subsequent working temperature of the previously overheatedserver module(s) still exceeds the overheating limit; if NO, theprocedure is ended; whereas if YES, the procedure goes to the step S21to repeat the temperature lowering procedure again. The looped stepsS20-S21 are repeated until the temperature inspecting module 140inspects that the subsequent working temperature of the previouslyoverheated server module(s) is below the overheating limit.

In conclusion, the invention provides a blade server performancemanagement method and system, which is designed for use with a bladeserver including a cluster of server modules to provide a performancemanagement function on the clustered server modules in the blade serverso as to allow all the clustered server modules in the blade server tohave sufficient power load to operate normally as well as to protecteach of the clustered server modules from being burned out due to anoverly high working temperature during high-performance operation. Theblade server performance management method and system according to theinvention is therefore advantageous to use.

The invention has been described using exemplary preferred embodiments.However, it is to be understood that the scope of the invention is notlimited to the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended tocover various modifications and similar arrangements. The scope of theclaims, therefore, should be accorded the broadest interpretation so asto encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.

1. A blade server performance management method for use on a bladeserver including a cluster of server modules, each server module beingcapable of offering at least two different operating modes, forproviding a performance management function on the clustered servermodules in the blade server; the blade server performance managementmethod comprising: performing a power-load detecting procedure to detectthe current distribution of power load by the power supply of the bladeserver to the clustered server modules in the blade server; if thecurrent distribution of power load to the clustered server modules isbelow a rated power level, performing an operating mode inspectingprocedure to inspect the current operating modes of the server modulesto find the highest-performance server module; and performing apower-initiated operating mode adjusting procedure to switch thehighest-performance server module to a lower level of operating mode. 2.The blade server performance management method of claim 1, furthercomprising: performing a temperature inspecting procedure to inspectwhether the current working temperature of each of the server modules inthe blade server is below an overheating limit; if NO, performing atemperature-initiated operating mode adjusting procedure to switch theoverheated server module to a lower level of operating mode.
 3. Theblade server performance management method of claim 2, wherein thetemperature-initiated operating mode adjusting procedure is carried outby activating the overheated server module to perform a TCC procedure tolower its working temperature by reducing performance.
 4. The bladeserver performance management method of claim 1, wherein the operatingmodes of the clustered server modules include an automatic mode and anon-demand mode, wherein the on-demand mode is lower in performance thanthe automatic mode.
 5. The blade server performance management method ofclaim 1, wherein the operating modes of the clustered server modulesinclude an automatic mode and a throttling mode, wherein the throttlingmode is lower in performance than the automatic mode.
 6. A blade serverperformance management system for use with a blade server including acluster of server modules, each server module being capable of offeringat least two different operating modes, for providing a performancemanagement function on the clustered server modules in the blade server;the blade server performance management system comprising: a power-loaddetecting module, which is capable of detecting whether the currentdistribution of power load by the power supply of the blade server tothe clustered server modules in the blade server is below a rated powerlevel, and if yes, capable of issuing a power-initiated mode downrequest; an operating mode inspecting module, which is capable ofinspecting what operating mode is currently being set to each of theclustered server modules in the blade server to find thehighest-performance one of the server modules; and an operating modeadjusting module, which is capable of being activated in response to thepower-initiated mode down request from the power-load detecting moduleand based on the inspected information from the operating modeinspecting module to switch the highest-performance server module to alower level of operating mode.
 7. The blade server performancemanagement system of claim 6, further comprising: a temperatureinspecting module, which is capable of inspecting whether the currentworking temperature of each of the clustered server modules in the bladeserver is below an overheating limit; and if NO, capable of initiating atemperature lowering procedure to lower the working temperature of theoverheated server module by switching the overheated server module to alower level of operating mode.
 8. The blade server performancemanagement system of claim 7, wherein in the temperature loweringprocedure, the temperature inspecting module issues a temperatureinitiated mode down request to the operating mode adjusting module toactivate the operating mode adjusting module to adjust the overheatedserver module to a lower level of operating mode.
 9. The blade serverperformance management system of claim 7, wherein in the temperaturelowering procedure, the temperature inspecting module issues a TCCenable message to the overheated server module to activate theoverheated server module to perform a built-in TCC procedure to lowerits working temperature by reducing performance.
 10. The blade serverperformance management system of claim 6, wherein the operating modes ofthe clustered server modules include an automatic mode and an on-demandmode, wherein the on-demand mode is lower in performance than theautomatic mode.
 11. The blade server performance management system ofclaim 6, wherein the operating modes of the clustered server modulesinclude an automatic mode and a throttling mode, wherein the throttlingmode is lower in performance than the automatic mode.
 12. A blade serverperformance management system for use with a blade server including acluster of server modules, each server module being capable of offeringat least two different operating modes, for providing a performancemanagement function on the clustered server modules in the blade server;the blade server performance management system comprising: a power-loaddetecting module, which is capable of detecting whether the currentdistribution of power load by the power supply of the blade server tothe clustered server modules in the blade server is below a rated powerlevel, and if yes, capable of issuing a power-initiated mode downrequest; an operating mode inspecting module, which is capable ofinspecting what operating mode is currently being set to each of theclustered server modules in the blade server to find thehighest-performance one of the server modules; an operating modeadjusting module, which is capable of being activated in response to thepower-initiated mode down request from the power-load detecting moduleand based on the inspected information from the operating modeinspecting module to switch the highest-performance server module to alower level of operating mode; and a temperature inspecting module,which is capable of inspecting whether the current working temperatureof each of the clustered server modules in the blade server is below anoverheating limit; and if NO, capable of initiating a temperaturelowering procedure to lower the working temperature of the overheatedserver module by switching the overheated server module to a lower levelof operating mode.
 13. The blade server performance management system ofclaim 12, wherein in the temperature lowering procedure, the temperatureinspecting module issues a temperature initiated mode down request tothe operating mode adjusting module to activate the operating modeadjusting module to adjust the overheated server module to a lower levelof operating mode.
 14. The blade server performance management system ofclaim 12, wherein in the temperature lowering procedure, the temperatureinspecting module issues a TCC enable message to the overheated servermodule to activate the overheated server module to perform a built-inTCC procedure to lower its working temperature by reducing performance.15. The blade server performance management system of claim 12, whereinthe operating modes of the clustered server modules include an automaticmode and an on-demand mode, wherein the on-demand mode is lower inperformance than the automatic mode.
 16. The blade server performancemanagement system of claim 12, wherein the operating modes of theclustered server modules include an automatic mode and a throttlingmode, wherein the throttling mode is lower in performance than theautomatic mode.